Telegram-herald., 1887-09-05
WHO WILL. DECIDE 2
TIE COMMISSIONERS DISAGREE.
AS Isfsrssalas cisil service cesssssssss
over tie Chicago castssa nstsss fs-
ssssig stles GsaasstssiessT Eaxsf-
tea Axslsst IL nA<a sna obsEls.

NAsRISeIos. Sept. THE opiaion Of
custom house Investigation has besa Asndsd
70 President Cleveland and wss msAe pub
lic today. The opinioa Is signed by Com
missioneFs obeEly and Lyman. sna with -
Is inciossd the sntsgoEisie reports 10 the
commission Of Commissionsr EoEsrton.
These reports show . vide difference oi
opinion between Commissioners Oeeriey
snd Lyman on one side and Commsssioner
/ igerton on the other, respecting the right
OF q discharged government empioye 10
knos the reason for his dismissal
and usefulness Of Civil Service
reform iesgues and associations.
The investigation in this ease was brought
about ia this way: Collector seebsrger, OF
Chicago. about the middle Of last Jsnusry.
emanded the resignation OF George A.
Webster, clerk in the appraisers ofiee.
Webster resigned under protest. and COM
planned that bis resignation was forced for
political reasons. The Civil Service Reform
League Of Chicago believing thst Webster $
removal was unjustilisble. and the aim and
purpose Of Civil Service legislation had
in this case been thwsried, brought
il TO the attention of President Cleveland,
who ordered the investigation. Iompis-
sioners Edgerton snd Lyman conducted the
investigation al Chicago and not agreeing as
TO verdict. either tor or against Collector
Seeherger. afterwards prepared separate snd
antsgonistic reports. Commissioner kdger-
ton, in his repert declared that ne was OPP
posed 10 the investigation from the start
because the charges which had been uade
were not of that substantial
and definite character which could
give TO the commission any legal
right to act upon the complaint,
or impose upon II any duty OF inyestiga-
ton under the Civil Service act and rules,
aud insisted that, with Collector Seeberger s
denial, which the Commission had in hand,
the request for Webster's resignation was
prompted by political reason; there was
nothing left for the Commission TO do. lie
also insisted that IL was never ayiolation oi
Civil Service law to turn man out OF
Office. and that 10 question or deny
the right of removal without assigning
reasons is virtually saying to tbs appoint
ing power. II know you have constitu-
,ional right to displace me, but you shall
not exercise it. only in such manner as
think proper 10 prescribe"
Commissioner Lyman in his statement
of the case, reached the conclusion that
Webster's separation from the service was
forced. practically dismissed. and that the
real reasons therefore were not disclosed.
That Webster was q faithful and efficient
clerk, an honorably discharged wounded
Union soldier and was not given the benefit
Of the law, which fsvors tire retention OF
such persons in Office. Commissioners
0berly aud Lyman, ain the opinion OF
Commissioners" criticize ''the evident at
tempt" oil Commissioner Edgerton to justify
Collector seeberger in his refusal to permit
the reasons he had for demanding Web
ster's removal to escape from ibis own
mind and keeping" aud the position taken
by Commissioners Edgerton, that the re-
curing of reasons fer the dismissal would
result in the restriction Of the
power OF rem)val Is pro-
nounced untenable. The practice row
| in vogue in the Treasury Department and
| in the Chicago postotiice, OF giving reasons
| for dismissals should not be given for re-
movals, rs the appointing ofictr neither
owns the Office occupied By himself nor the
offices occupied By the persons under his
SUPERVISION. HE is not they say, "the
employer of his subordinates lie is not
master. He is a servant. a servant of the
people, and certainly no good reason can be
given why he, in serving the people should
be permitted TO hold in his own mind and
keeping his reasons for doing or refusing
| to do any acts in the performance or non
| performance Of which the people have an
interest. His superior. in Office, who are
responsible for his official conduct. have a
right to be informed in an official way why
be does any official act. He can no longer
appoint persons TO places in the classified
civil service for his own purposes, or for
the purpose of paying money out of the
Treasury for work done or 10 be done, in
the interest of his party friends.